Airtel Wi-Fi Calling expands to five new locations in India

Update, December 23, 2019 (2:49AM ET): Airtel is now expanding its voice over Wi-Fi service to five new locations across India. In addition to Delhi-NCR, Airtel Wi-Fi Calling is now available in Mumbai, Kolkata, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

The telco has also added compatibility for more smartphones. These include: all iPhone models from the 6s and above, Redmi K20, Redmi K20 Pro, Samsung Galaxy A10s, Galaxy On6, the Galaxy S10 series, Galaxy M20, as well as all OnePlus 6 and 7 series devices.

Original article, December 10, 2019 (9PM ET): India’s largest integrated telecommunications company, Airtel, just announced it’s launching the country’s first voice over Wi-Fi service. The company is calling it Airtel Wi-Fi Calling, and it’s available in Delhi NCR and will gradually roll out across the country.

Voice over Wi-Fi is something we have had in the US for many years now. Sprint began offering the service way back in 2014, and the other major carriers followed soon after.

Wi-Fi calling is so convenient because it allows users to make and receive calls over Wi-Fi even if they don’t have a signal. And unlike services like Skype, FaceTime, or Duo, Wi-Fi calling lets you use your existing phone number without needing to download a separate app.

Airtel Wi-Fi Calling works in this same way, and users can set it up by following these steps:

How to use Airtel Wi-Fi Calling?

• Check if your smartphone is compatible with the service at airtel.in/wifi-calling. Some devices include the OnePlus 7T, Xiaomi POCOphone F1, and Samsung Galaxy J6.
• Upgrade your device to its latest firmware version.
• On your device, navigate to your settings to switch on Wi-Fi calling.
• Don’t turn off VoLTE so your device can seamlessly transition between standard and Wi-Fi Calling.

It’s as simple as that. Once you have gone through those steps, you are all set. Your device should now support voice over Wi-Fi.

Airtel is currently working with many leading smartphone manufacturers to implement voice over Wi-Fi. So, if your smartphone isn’t compatible yet, check back periodically to see the company’s updated supported devices list.

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